High-frequency tube structure



March 8, 1949. w. T.lcooKE ET AL HIGH-FREQUENCY TUBE STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 28, 1940 WILL l/l/ March 8, 1949. w. T. COOKE ET AL FREQUENCY TUBE STRUCTURE HIGH- Original Filed June 28, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTORS J0J (MOM/Ell fifm M ATTORNEY 7/ WILL/14M T. Coo/(E,

mvo 0/; W0 6. CLIFFORD UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,463,519 HIGH-FREQUENCY TUBE STRUCTURE William T. Cooke, Garden City, and Joe J. Caldwell, Jr., Merrick, N. Y., and David G. Clifford, Palo Alto, Calif., assignors to The Sperry Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Original application June 28, 1940, Serial No. 342,912. Divided and this application March 15, 1943, Serial No. 479,296

34 Claims. (Cl. 250-275) This invention relates generally to high frenovel tube structure of the present invention quency radio apparatus and the invention refers with the tuning means removed therefrom.

more particularly to a novel high frequency tube Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view in plan with structure employing hollow resonators, of the parts broken away showing the tube structure general type disclosed in Patent No. 2,242,275, 5 assembled with the tuning means. issued May 20 1941 in the name of Russell H. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation oi the tube struc- Varian. The present application constitutes a ture and tuning means therefor.

true division of our copending parent applica- Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of one of the tion Serial No. 342,912, filed June 28, 1940. grids used.

The principal object of the present invention 10 Fig. 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view is to provide a novel high frequency tube strucof a somewhat modified structure, and

ture having hollow resonators cooperating with Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detailed view an electron stream for effecting either the gen- Of a pO n the S t e Of eration of high frequency alternating current of Similar characters of reference are used in all the order of 10 cycles per second, or the amof the above figures to indicate corresponding plification or detection of signals of this irep quency, the hollow resonators being so con- Referring now to the structure of Figs. 1 to 3 structed and arranged as to provide an extremely of the drawings, the reference numeral desigcompact tube structure, thereby utilizing a relanates a base upon which the high frequency tube ted. Base has tively short beam and reducing the tendency of structure is adapted to be suppor stream dispersion. upstanding posts 2 and 2', post 2 being provided Another object of the present invention is a with a sui novel tube structure employing tuning means fixedly receiving an annular flange 3 provided on adapted for individually or gang tuning the the resonator casing l of the tube structure. hollow resonators. The casing 4 is shown of cylindrical shape and is Another object of the present invention is to provided with ends consisting of annular corruprovide a high frequency tube structure that is gated and flexible diaphragms 5 and 5 which heries to the rigid so constructed as to reduce the tendency of the are joined at their outer perip beam to spread during its passage intermediate cylindrical portion of easing 4 and are connected at their inner peripheries to aligned tubular proof the resonators.

A further object is to provide a novel construcjections 6 and 6 provided on cylindrical end tion of concentric line terminal post for use in shells 8 and 8 of the tube structure. End shell 8 putting energy into or removing the same from has an indirectly heated cathode structure 2| the fields of the resonators. therewithin, the filament oi the cathode being Still another object of the present invention 3 pp through leads 22 nd e ndin is to provide a detector structure for high through the press 21 provided in the sealing bell frequency electron-beam apparatus specially 2B. A heat retaining and focussing sleeve 24 adapted to eificiently detect velocity variations surrounds the emitter 2|. An additional lo- 25 is positioned in front of the of the electrons of the electron beam, particucussing ring larly for use with velocity modulation electron 4 cathode assembly 2|-24 for the purpose of colube apparatus. Diaphragms 9 and 9' limating the electron stream leaving cathode 2|.

discharge t provide partitions which divide the space within This ring 25 is adapted to be connected to a ternal potential by way of lead 26 casing 4 into two hollow or cavity resonators and suitable ex h the press 21. A space charge a drift space therebetween. extending throug A still further object of the present invention control grid 29 is shown located in front or the is to provide an improved form of grid structure emitter 2|, this grid being shown as a stocking desirable for use in the walls of hollow resonaweave and having its periphery confined between tors through which electron beams are passed the two rings of an annular supporting member for control purposes. 353, which member is connected to an external Other objects and advantages will become aplead 3| adapted to be connected, for example, to parent from the specification, taken in conneca suitable modulation source. A stream of election with the accompanying drawiigs wherein trons as collimated by ring 25 passes through the invention is embodied in concrete form. tubular projections 6' and 8 and centrally In the drawings, through the resonator casing 4. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view or the The rigid cylindrical shell of the casing 4 is provided on its inner surface Similarly, the opposed ends of tubular member 6' and neck portion iii are provided with opposed grids H.

As thus constructed, two hollow or cavity resonators l2 and I2 are formed within the interior of resonator casing l,

inner ends of these legs are free.

The end shell 8 has a detector grid assembly contained therewithin, this assembly consisting of spaced grids 32 and 32' that are sleeve of potential. A collimating ring 37 is positioned in advance of the grids 32 and 32' 32. vided and connected veying away electrons passing through grids 32 and 32.

and aiding For efi'icient resonator 62 may be connected to an antenna by coupling the latter to a terminal post 4! of resonator I2.

Referring now to the tuning means shown in Figs. 2 and B, the end portions of tubular guide sleeves l3 and 43 are threaded through apertures Sleeves 43 and 43 extend slidably through additional sleeves l5 and 45'. Sleeves 5 and 45 have inner end portions threaded through aper- The outer end portions of sleeves 45 and 45' are secured to a cross-head 48' with a central is adiustably which has a knurled knob Si is provided With a collar 53 abutting shoulder 54 provided on a tubular projection 55 provided on the post 2'. The outer ends of tubular guide sleeves 43 and 43 are secured Within apertures provided Within post 2.

A second knurled knob 56 is turnably mounted nd has a hub portion 56 that is adjustably threaded into tubular extension 51 provided on a cross-head 58 having the ends of rods 59 and 59' secured thereto, which rods are In use, since posts 2 and 2' are fixed upon the base I, the guide sleeves 43 and 43' together with resonator merit of sleeves 45 and 45' which in relative movement of the grids H of resonator 12, thereby tuning this resonator with respect to resonator If desired, both knobs 56 and 52' may be turned simultaneously thereby effecttuning of the resonators. These knobs are provided with graduations 66 and 66 cooperating with a fixed index 61 for indicating the amount of tuning. Owing to the great flexibility of the diaphragrns and 5' the resonators may be tuned an indefinite number of times without in- The tube structure of Figs. 5 and 6 is even more compact than that shown in Fig. l, the structures of these latter figures being especially suitable for use with somewhat longer wave lengths of the order of 40 cm., for example. In this form of the invention the two resonator casings 61 and 66 are formed with outwardly directed aligned tubular extensions 68 and 10 carrying grids H at The emitter structure 11 is extension 69 and is plurality of mutually 12 and 13 for the purpose of preventing undue heating of the press 14.

Tuning in this form of the invention is accomplished by use of threaded collars 15 and 16 fixed 10, which collars have 18 threaded thereon, which nuts act through anti-friction bearings 16 and 19' to press ring 80 and 81 against the outer peripheral portions of resonators 61 Thus, by turning knobs 11 and of casings 61 and 68 extending between the ring members 80 and 8| and collars 15 and 16 are deflected resulting in relative movement of the grids of the resonators and hence tuning the same.

provided with a frusto-conical portion 10 having cooling fins 82 to effect cooling of this portion of the tube structure which serves to collect electrons passing through the resonators and through additional grids 83.

A novel form of concentric line terminal post 84 is shown in Fig. 5 In this terminal post, a glass seal 85 is secured at its outer periphery to the cylindrical casing of post 84 and at its inner periphery to an extremely thin portion of a metal tube 86 as of copper. Owing to the thinness of this tube portion 86 under seal 85, the metal flexes under thermal expansion and contraction so that the seal is not broken between the glass and the tube. The tube 86 is further reinforced by an inner tube 81 having its portion 88 underlying the seal 85 spaced inwardly from tube 86 to facilitate relative radial movement of tube 86. The loop 89 the outer casing of the terminal post and at its other end this loop projects into inner tube 81 and is secured therein.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A high frequency tube structure comprising a resonator casing having side walls and connected flexible end walls, partitions within said casing, said partitions and said casing walls forming two hollow resonators, means in said structure for passing a stream of electrons through said resonators for exciting fields in partitions also forming a drift space within said casing free of said fields and through which the electron stream passes while in transit between said resonators.

2. A high frequency tube structure comprising a resonator casing having unitary side walls and end walls, and a pair of partitions within said casing connected to said side walls and forming with said casing walls a pair of hollow resonators adapted to contain electromagnetic fields therein, the space between said partitions forming with said casing a drift space free of said fields.

3. A high frequency tube structure as in claim 2 further including means in said structure for passing a stream of electrons successively through one of said resonators, said drift space and the other of said resonators.

4. A high frequency tube structure comprising a resonator casing having side walls and end walls, a pair of partitions within said casing forming with said casing walls a pair of hollow resonators having said walls as conducting boundaries thereof and adapted to contain electromagnetic fields therewithi the space between said partitions forming with said casing a drift space free of said a coupling loop passing through said and extending within each of said to provide coupling therebetween.

5. A high frequency a cylindrical casing having walls, and partitions within said with said end walls and casing, resonators adapted to contain electromagnetic fields therewithin, said partitions also forming a field-free drift space with said cylindrical casing.

6. A high frequency tube structure as in claim 5 wherein said partitions are formed as flaring centrally apertured members and are disposed with their flaring portions extending in opposite directions providing said drift space within said casing while retaining a relatively short overall length for said casing.

'1. Ahigh frequency tube structure comprising a resonator casing, partitions within said casing forming with the walls of said casing a pair of hollow resonators having opposite reentrant portions, said reentrant portions of said resonators and the opposed walls of said casing being aperfor the passage of an electron therethrough, for setting up standing electromagnetic fields in said resonators, the reentrant portions of said resonators providing a drift space for the electron stream intermediate the fields of said resonators.

8. A tube structure as in one of said grids comprises a ring member with a plurality of grid elements secured thereto, each of said grid elements comprising mutually spaced long and short legs and a connecting portion therebetween, the connecting portion being secured to said ring member with said legs extending substantially radially inwardly thereof but terminating short of the center of said ring inemher.

9. A high frequency tube unitary resonator casing, said casing forming, with the walls electromagnetic fields therein, the reentrant portions of said resonators formed by said partitions providing field-free space onators.

onators, an emitter said extensions for trons through said resonators in succession and through said other extension, and means protrons.

11. A high frequency tube ing a cylindrical resonator casing having flexibie substantially fiat apertured end walls, flarthe repair of hollow resonators having opposite reentrant portions and adapted to contain electromagnetic waves, said partitions and casing forming a field-free space between said resonators, and .neans adjacent said casing for projecting a stream of electrons through said resonators in succession whereby said electrons traverse said fieldfree space while in transit between said resonators.

12. High frequency cavity resonator apparatus comprising a cylindrical casing, a flexible diaphragm connected across one end of said casing, an electron-perineable grid carried centrally of said diaphragm, a flared apertured member connected at its outer edges to said casin and having its central portion adjacent said diaphragm, and a second electron-permeab1e grid carried 5 said central portion adjacent said first grid.

13. Apparatus as in claim 32, further including means coupled to said grids for adjusting the spacing of said said resonator 14. High frequency cavity resonator apparatus comprising a casing, a flexible Wall con- 15. A high frequency tube structure comprising a cylindrical resonator casing having side walls and connected flexible end walls, dividing partition means within said casing, said partition means and said casing walls forming two hollow distinct resonators, and screw means connected between said casings side walls and its end walls for moving said flexible end walls to thereby effect 16. A high frequency tube structure compriswithin said casing, said partition means and said casing walls forming two hollow distinct resonators, a frame connected to said side walls enteriorly of said partition means, said frame supporting said casing, and screw means interposed between said frame and said end walls for deflecting the latter to effect tuning of said casing.

17. A high frequency tube structure comprising a hollow resonator casing having side walls and flexible end walls, a frame connected to said side walls, said frame supporting said casing, and screw means interposed between said frame and said end walls for deflecting the latter to ef-- fect tuning of said resonator casing, said screw means comprising force transmission members connected with said ends walls, and adjustable knobs threadedly transmission members for moving said end walls.

18. A tube structure comprising a resonator casing, partitions casing forming with the walls thereof a pair of hollow resonators having opposite reentrant portions, said casing having outwardly directed tubular extensions coaxial with the reentrant portions of means threaded on said extensions and engaging said casing for effecting the tuning of said resonators.

19. A pair of cavity resonators, each comprising a flexible and a rigid section, means rigidly connecting said rigid together, and means interconnecting said rigid and said flexib e sections including screw-operated thrustexerting members for acting between said rigid sections and the flexible sections of said resonators and for moving the flexible sections of said resonators with respect to their corresponding rigid sections, to thereby effect tuning of said resonators.

26. A pair of cavity resonators, ing a flexible and a rigid section, means rigidly connecting said rigid sections together, and individually selective means connected between and the flexible sections of selectively moving the hexible l respect to its corresponding rigid section, to thereby efiect of saidresonators.

21. Apparatus as in claim. 20, wherein said last-named means comprises a member fixed to each of said flexible sections, independent screw means interposed between each of said members and said rigid sections for adjusting said flexible sections, and respective controls for said screw means, said controls being juxtaposed to one another to permit joint or independent operation thereof to produce gang or individual tuning of said resonators.

each comprisframe side by side in 00- that either knob may be admay be adjusted connected with said casing and adapted independently to distort the other of said knobs.

23. An electron discharge tube comprising a casing containing a pair of hollow resonators, one of said resonators having a flexible wall, a

tubular extension connected to said flexible wall at a point intermediate the edges thereof, a member surrounding said tubular extension, and means operatively connected to said memher for exterting pressure on said member to cause displacement of said flexible wall to change the tuning of said resonant chamber.

24. A high frequency tube structure comprising a resonator casing and a concentric line terminal post provided thereon, said terminal post comprising an external tube projecting at its inner end portion into said casing and secured thereto, a pair of concentric inner tubes within said external tube, a glass seal extending between the outer end portion of said external tube and the outer of said inner tubes, said outer of said inner tubes being relatively thin in the region of said seal and somewhat radially spaced from the inner of said inner tubes to allow for free relative expansion and contraction of these inner tubes, and a loop projecting within said casing and having its ends connected respectively to said external and inner tubes.

25. A sealed high frequency terminal post for an evacuated casing comprising an outer tubular conductor adapted to be sealed to said casing and having its interior communicating with the interior of said casing, trically positioned within said tubular conductor and having a relatively flexible section, and an insulating seal extending between said flexible section and said tubular member, whereby the evacuated condition of said casing may be retained, and expansion of said inner and outer conductors or seal will not break said seal.

26. A sealed high frequency terminal post as in claim 22, wherein said inner conductor is formed as a pair of concentric tubes, one of said tubes being relatively thin in the region of said seal and radially spaced from the inner of said tubes to allow for free relative expansion and contraction of these tubes.

27. A sealed high frequency terminal post as in claim 22, further including a conductive loop adapted to project within said casing and having its ends connected respectively to said outer conductor and said inner conductor. i

28. A sealed high frequency terminal post as in claim 22, wherein said inner conductor comprises a pair of concentric tubes, the outer of said tubes being relatively thin in the region of said seal and radially spaced from the inner of said tubes to allow for free relative expansion and contraction of said tubes, said terminal post further comprising a conductive loop adapted to project within said casing and having its ends connected respectively to said outer and inner conductors.

29. A detector structure for electron beam apparatus of the velocity modulation type having a velocity-modulated electron beam comprising a pair of electron permeable grids insulated from the remainder of said apparatus and conductively connected to one another and positioned in the path of said beam to be successively and perpendicularly traversed thereby, and an insulated potential-supply lead connected to said grids for coupling a suitable source of potential thereto.

30. A detector structure as in claim 29, i'urther comprising means along the path of said beam for collecting the electrons of said beam after traversal of said grid structure.

31. A detector structure according to claim 29, further including collimating means surrounding the path of said beam in front of said grids to prevent dispersion of the electrons or said beam, and an insulated potential-supply lead connected to said collimating means for coupling a suitable source of collimating potential thereto.

32. A detector electrode assembly for electron beam apparatus of the velocity modulation type having a velocity-modulated electron beam, comprising a conductive supporting sleeve insulated from the remainder of said apparatus, a first grid mounted within a cylindrical conductive holder concentrically supported Within said supporting sleeve and a second grid also mounted within said holder, whereby said pair of grids are conductively connected and are adapted to be successively traversed by said beam, and an insulated potential-supply lead connected to said sleeve for coupling a suitable source of potential to said 33. A detector electrode assembly as in claim 32 further including a cylindrical collimating electrode coxially disposed with respect to said supporting sleeve in front thereof and insulated from said supporting sleeve for preventing dispersion of the electrons of said beam entering said grids 34. An electrical discharge tube of the velocity modulation type, comprising an envelope having a velocity modulating chamber and an extraction chamber, a pair of rotatably adjustable knobs mounted side by side in coaxial alignment so that either knob may be adjusted separately or both knobs may be adjusted together, operating means connected with said envelope and adapted independently to distort walls of said resonant chambers to change the resonant frequency thereof, a connection from the operating means of one of said chambers to one of said knobs, and a connection from the operating means of the other of said chambers to the other of said knobs.

WILLIAM T. COOKE. JOE J. CALDWELL, JR. DAVID G. CLIFFORD.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,506 Hahn June 27, 1944 2,167,201 Dallenbach July 25, 1939 2,242,249 Varian et al May 20, 1941 2,242,275 Varian May 20, 1941 2,250,511 Varian et a1 July 29, 1941 2,259,690 Hansen et al. Oct. 21, 1941 2,280,824 Hansen et al Apr. 28, 1942 2,304,186 Litton Dec. 8, 1942 2,311,658 Hansen et al. Feb. 23, 1943 2,375,223 Hansen et a1 May 8, 1945 OTHER REFERENCES Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 10, No. 5, May

1939, pp. 321-327; ibid., N0. 12, Dec. 1939, p. 868.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,463,519 March 8, 1949 WILLIAM T. COOKE ET AL.

It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 1, line 41, beginning with fDiaphregms strike out all to and including the Word and period therebetween. in line 44 and insert the same sentence in column 3, line 12, after grids 11.;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of January, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Oommz'ssz'oner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,463,519 March 8, 1949 WILLIAM T. OOOKE ET AL.

It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 1, line 41, beginning With Diaphragms strike out all to and including the Word and period therebetween. in line 44 and insert the same sentence in column 3, line 12, after grids 11.;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oifice.

Signed and sealed 24th day of January, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

